Corn harvester



W. J. COULTAS CORN HARVESTER April 16,

Filed Jan. 16, 1955 m7 TNESS.

Patented Apr. 16, 1935 eeesa Parr erries CORN HARVESTER Wilbur'J'. Coultas, Molincpllll assignor to Deere & Company, Moline, 111., -a corporation of Illinois Application January 16, 1933, Serial No. 651,885

2 Claims.

My invention relates to corn husking mechanisms such as are commonly used on corn harvesters and pertains particularly to that type of husking mechanism having a plurality of husking rolls with a series of ear retarders supported from a cover or other framework disposed over the rolls. The principal object of my invention is to provide a husking mechanism wherein the front end of the cover or framework supporting the retarders is adjustable toward or away from the husking rollsywhereby the size of the entrance to the husking rolls may be increased or decreased to accommodate varying quantities of material fed to the husking rolls.

Another object of the invention is to provide a husking mechanism wherein the cover with the retarders supported thereby may be raised or lowered with a bodily movement to adjust the position of the retarders relative to the rolls. 20 1 Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the husking mechanism, a portion ofthe cover being broken away to show the ear retarders; and,

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in Figure l.

The husking mechanism comprises the usual inclined frame 4 having sides 5 secured to vertical supporting bars 6, l, t and 9. The husking rolls H are journaled on frame 4 between the sides 5 and are rotated through a driving connection with a transverse drive shaft l4 journaled in bearing brackets l5 secured adjacent the upper end of bars 8. The transverse drive shaft I4 is driven by a drive chain It which engages over a sprocket ll, secured on one end of shaft 14. The drive chain 3 is maintained at the proper driving tension by means of a tightener sprocket IS.

The corn is delivered to the husking rolls from a hopper or chute 2| positioned adjacent the upper or front end of the husking mechanism and supported on bars 8 and 9. The hopper 2| includes sides 22 and a bottom 23. The hopper 2| is inclined downwardly toward the husking rolls II so that the corn Will feed by gravity out of the hopper.

As the ears of corn move down along husking rolls ll they come under the restraint of a pluralit'y of oscillatingretarding plates or shoes 3i hingedly connected to and depending from cover 25 provided above the rolls l l. The retard- 55 ing plates 3| are disposed in a plurality of transverse rows and are of such dimensions as to be arranged in close proximity to each other to cover the entire space between sides 5 of the husking mechanism. The front transverse row of plates 3| is hingedly connected with a hinge rod 5 32 supported in aligned holes in the upwardly bent ends'of side bars 26 extending along the sides of cover 25. The central and rear transverse rows of plates are hingedly connected with rods (E3 and 34 respectively, also supported in aligned 10 holes in side bars 2%. The rear ends of retarding plates 3| are suspended on links 35 which are pivotally connected to the plates and to arms 36 extending rearwardly from and journaled on transverse rock shafts 31, 38 and 39. The rock shaftst'l, ,38fand 39 are positioned above cover 25 and are journaled in alignedbearing brackets 4i secured to side bars 26. Each arm 36 is yieldingly held in a normal position on its rock shaft by means of a spring 32 embracing the rock shaft, and having one end anchored to the arm and the other end to the rock shaft. The range of movement of the arm on the rock shaft is determined by a pin it on the shaft and extending through slots 54 in the hub of the arm.

It frequently happens that an excessive amount of trash is delivered with the corn to hopper 2i and accumulates at the entrance to the husking rolls. To overcome this difficulty I have provided means by the actuation of which the front end of cover 25 may be adjusted to vary the distance between husking rolls 1 l and ear retarders 3! to admit larger quantities of material.

The means employed for adjusting the front end of cover 25 includes a pair of forwardly extending forked brackets 25 secured adjacent the ends of a transverse rock shaft 45 supported in brackets M secured to sides 5. The forked portions of brackets 45 extend over hinge rod 32 to support cover 25. The front end of cover 25 is adjusted by rocking the shaft To facilitate rocking shaft 46, a lever $8 is secured on one end of the shaft. The cover 25 is held in any de sired position of adjustment by means of a spring latch 3-9 on lever 18 engaging one of a series of holes 5! provided in the adjacent bracket 41.

The rear end of cover 5 is adjustably supported in a manner similar to that employed for supporting the front end. A transverse rock shaft 6| is mounted in aligned holes provided adjacent the upper ends of bars 6. Rock shaft 6! supports a pair of forwardly extending forked brackets 62 which engage a hinge rod 63 supported in brackets 64 secured on bars 25 adjacent the front ends thereof. A lever 65 is secured on for rocking rock shaft 6| to vertically adjust the rear end of cover 25. The rear end of cover is locked in the desired position of adjustment by a spring latch 66 cooperating with a series of holes 61 provided in a plate 68 secured to the adjacent bar 6.

By the provision of means for adjusting both ends of the cover 25 vertically, the cover can be adjusted bodily to and from the husking rolls to vary the spacing between the retarders and rolls. This makes it possible to adjust the retarders to any size of ear, or to adjust the pressure exerted by the retarders upon the ears. Furthermore, by manipulating the two levers separately, the position of the retarders at each end, or pressure exerted thereby, can be adjusted separately. When the front end of the cover is adjusted to change the size of the opening to the husking rolls, the position of the retarders with respect to the rolls is also changed. This can be compensated for by also adjusting the rear end of the cover in the opposite direction.

The retarding plates 3| are simultaneously oscillated by the rocking of rock shafts 31, 38 and 39. These rock shafts are rocked by a driving arm H journaled at one end on a crank 12 formed on one end of the central rock shaft 38, and at the other end on a crank 13 which is formed on a countershaft 14. Countershaft 14 is supported in brackets 15 secured on frame bars 9. The countershaft H is driven by a drive chain 16 which is trained over a sprocket TI on countershaft 74 and a sprocket 18 secured on drive shaft I. The shafts 31 and 39 are rocked simultaneously with shaft 38 by means of a pitman 8| which engages crankshaft 12 of shaft 38 and similar cranks 82 and 83 formed on shafts 31 and 39, respectively.

While I have described, in connection with the accompanying drawing, the specific form in which I prefer to embody my invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific means which I have herein shown and described, and that, in fact, widely different means may be employed in the practice of the broader aspects of my invention.

What I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a husking mechanism comprising a frame and a plurality of husking rolls rotatably supported on said frame, a. framework disposed over said rolls comprising two side members, a transverse rod supported by said side members adjacent the front end of the husking mechanism, a plurality of retarders pivotally supported on said rod and disposed over said rolls, a rock shaft rockably supported on said frame adjacent said rod, an arm on each end of the rock shaft engaging said rod, and means for rocking said rock shaft to adjust the position of said framework and reta-rders relative to said rolls.

2. In a husking mechanism comprising a frame and a plurality of husking rolls rotatably supported on said frame, a framework disposed over said rolls, a transverse rod supported on said framework, a plurality of retarders pivotally supported on said rod and disposed over said rolls, a rock shaft rockably supported on said frame adjacent said rod, an arm on each end of the rock shaft engaging said rod, and means for rocking said rock shaft to adjust the position of said framework and retarders relative to said rolls.

WILBUR J. COULTAS. 

